1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of feeding and milking a dairy animal by means of a milking system comprising a milking parlour with a milking device and a feeding device. More particularly, the invention relates to a feeding and milking method and system that reduces dispensed feed portions when a predetermined sub-phase of the milking is reached, prior to the ending of the milking.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional methods and systems for feeding and milking dairy animals has been described in documents such as for example WO2005/092084, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. WO2005/092084 discloses a method and a system for feeding dairy animals in a milking box, wherein an estimated end time for the milking is determined, and wherein the feeding stops before said end time is reached. The object is to prevent that feed remains in the milking box after the milking itself has been ended, because the dairy animal would in that case occupy the milking box unnecessarily long.
WO2005/092084 thus recognizes the problem that a dairy animal is not always willing to leave the stable in time. However, a disadvantage of the disclosed method and system is that it does not take unexpected deviations in a milking into account. If, for example in the period in which no more feed is dispensed, a situation occurs that prolongs the milking, such as kicking off of a teat cup, or a milk flow that only showed a temporary decrease, the dairy animal is found to become restless.